Latest CNN poll: Fiorina rises to No. 2

Published 8:12 am, Monday, September 21, 2015

Buoyed by her Republican presidential debate performance last week, Carly Fiorina has jumped to second place behind Donald Trump in a new CNN poll.

Results released Sunday night showed the Austin native at 15 percent, still behind Trump's 24 percent that continues his No. 1 run — even though the real estate mogul has dropped from his high in some polls last month at 32 percent.

Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, was up 3 percent from the previous poll.

Political observers in Texas and elsewhere said Sunday the latest poll shows that Trump's honeymoon with the GOP electorate appears to be waning, and Fiorina gained support after delivering what was considered by most to be a forceful and on-point performance in the debate.

CNN said the new poll was conducted three days after the debate.

In the new poll, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson was at 14 percent, Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio was at 11, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was at 9; Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee were tied at 6, Kentucky U.S. Sen. Rand Paul was at 4, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was at 3, Ohio Gov. John Kasich was at 2, and former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum was at 1.

Dropping to below 1 percent in the poll was Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who posted much better poll results two weeks ago -- as high as 15 percent in some polls.

Also below 1 percent were South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former New York Gov. George Pataki and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore.